Inquiry Based Learning: Teaching Research with the Stripling Model of Inquiry

Teaching research does not need to be tedious or scary. In fact, it should not be. Constructivists, and in my opinion, most educators agree that learning is more meaningful to students when they take part in forming the questions to which they would like to discover answers. Learning should be initiated primarily by students. This is the basis of inquiry learning.

Research, just like learning, is a natural process that follows a cyclical pattern. This pattern must be initiated with a connection to a topic. This connection then sparks the development of questions, which naturally leads to searching for answers to those questions. Once students discover new information, they use it to draw new conclusions about their questions.The new understandings are then shared with others. Learning does not stop there, though! The new ideas discovered in the process of searching for answers usually inspires new questions - which begins the cycle all over again. The Stripling Model of Inquiry (pictured below) illustrates that the research process flows naturally with both the Theory of Constructivism and inquiry based learning.

http://napiercentral.wikispaces.com/Models+of+Inquiry+Learning?vm=r

This model of inquiry pairs perfectly with the Standards for the 21st Century Learner. It requires students to:

• Inquire, think critically, and gain knowledge.
• Draw conclusions, make informed decisions, apply knowledge to new situations, and create new knowledge
• Share and participate ethically and productively as members of our democratic society
• Pursue personal and aesthetic growth

To learn more about the Stripling Model and the Inquiry Process, check out these links:

• http://loc.gov/teachers/tps/quarterly/inquiry_learning/article.html
• prezi.com/gku3uhntxf9j/stripling-model-of-inquiry

Caren P.

Blogging in the Library

So, I thought I would write my first ever blog - on the topic of blogging.  It seems appropriate.  I can see blogging as a very useful library tool.  When I get into a library I would like to start a book blog.  A book blog is a great way to connect with kids by allowing the librarian can share books he or she has read. The kids can share books also.  Discussing common likes and dislikes or answering questions from one another will be fun and hopefully beneficial for developing readers.

For those unfamiliar with blogs here (Blog Link) is an article what a blog is and how to do it.  It also has some helpful links to other library blogs.

I was wondering if any of you had a book blog already going.  If so, do you have any advice for someone just starting out?

Todd Evans

“Conferences.” Information Today, Inc., www.infotoday.com/mls/nov03/fichter.shtml.

New Standards, New Plans?

February 5, 2018


In November of 2017, AASL introduced new National School Library Standards and school librarians all over the country got excited. Then , worry set in! Many of us have lesson plans that we have already created and are excited about using. Do we need to create all new plans just because there are new standards?

The answer is no! All that is needed is a little tweak because the new standards are not that different. Review your old lessons and see how the old plans fit with the new Shared Foundations. Chances are that your old lesson fits into one of the categories. AASL has released some excellent tools to help with the transition and steps to help librarians embrace the new standards.

Take a look at the website AASL created to help with the transition, I think you will be pleasantly surprised!

J. Karluk


http://standards.aasl.org/

Genrefication - Should We or Shouldn't We?

Some of you know that genrefication of the school library is an interest of mine. After doing research on whether or not it should be done, I came to the conclusion that I would want to genrefy the fiction section of my school library. However, the next question that keeps popping up in my brain is: 

Should I genrefy the non-fiction section of the library? 

When I first did my research, my answer was no right away. Dewey is pretty much genrefication, right? So then why it genrefication of the nonfiction section so controversial? 

Mighty Little Librarian is a blogger that I follow and have for quite some time. She decided to genrefy her entire library because it was what her students needed, it was easier for her students to find books, it allowed them to really get to know the collection, and they discovered things they may not have known about before. All of these sound like great reasons to genrefy the nonfiction section of the library. You can read all about the genrefication process in her blog, Mighty Little Librarian. 

Some, however, do not share the same feelings as Mighty Little Librarian. In The Elementary Librarian Community, an undisclosed librarian shares how she would never take Dewey out of her library. She makes the valid point that the Dewey Decimal System is already set up into different classifications, so why would genrefication be needed? She also says, that if we make our school libraries Dewey-less, then how are the students going to be successful in public libraries and collegiate-level libraries where Dewey is still alive and well?

As you can probably tell, I am still torn. I can see both ways of the argument. I agree that Dewey is already set up into categories, but I also see that we need to do what is best for our students. If our students are not checking out nonfiction books or are not able to find what they need, then maybe it is time to look into finding a way to help them. Maybe genrefication IS the answer. 

What are your thoughts?

To Dewey or not to Dewey? That is the question. 

Jen S.

Whitehead, T. (2013, November 29). Ditching Dewey: Choosing Genre Categories [Web log post]. Retrieved from http://www.mightylittlelibrarian.com/?p=1037

Why I Won't Ditch Dewey [Web log post]. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://elementarylibrarian.com/why-i-wont-ditch-dewey/

To Weed or Not to Weed? That Shouldn’t be the Question

It’s a word that can send a chill through even the hardiest of librarians: Weeding. That seemingly counterintuitive responsibility to keep the library collection fresh by emptying the shelves of books that are outdated, worn out, misleading, irrelevant, uncirculated, or contain information that can be found elsewhere. While the thought of weeding can send shivers down the spine, it is necessary for the good of the library collection and the library stakeholders.

To make the process more appealing, Dr. Gail Dickinson recommends three simple steps to weed that can take as little as fifteen minutes per week.

Step One: Focus on one shelf per week. Do a quick visual check and pull out any books that look as if they need to be weeded.

Step Two: Apply the rules of deselection to the books you pulled off the shelf – decide to toss or keep.

Step Three: Take the books you decided to remove from the collection immediately to a workstation and complete the steps to remove a book from your collection. Once the book is properly removed from the collection, place it in the trashcan.

This process ensures that weeding is occurring on a regular basis, prevents large amount of books from disappearing from the library shelves all at once, and helps you become familiar with your collection. While this may not be the most appealing part of being a librarian, weeding is necessary to make space for all of the new titles that are being released and for the benefit of the library patrons.

 

Some helpful articles on weeding:

The Art of Weeding

Weeding Without Worry

Dickinson, G. (2005). Crying Over Spilled Milk. Library Media Connection, 23(7), 24-26.

Tracy B.

We Need Diverse Books!!!

Gone are the days of traditional literature with stereotypical characters.  Students need to see themselves in what they read.  We Need Diverse Books™ is a 501(c)(3) non-profit and a grassroots organization of children’s book lovers that advocates essential changes in the publishing industry to produce and promote literature that reflects and honors the lives of all young people.  Here is the link to WNDB website:  https://diversebooks.org/.  

I have been following #weneeddiversebooks on Twitter every since VAASL in November.  Kwame Alexander, Ruta Sepetys., Meg Medina, and Lamar Giles, just to name a few authors, are supporters of WNDB.  The organization awards authors for diversity in their writing, provide grants, and has a mentor program.  Our libraries need to promote diversity.  

A great way to get started promoting diverse books is to use the Book Talking kit provided by WNDB and SLJ.  Thank you to Grace Lin for creating the “Cheat Sheet for Selling Diversity” which is the inspiration for the kit.  The kit is designed to shed light on the lesser-known diverse books.  It is not a comprehensive list or a best seller list.   The kit is broken into elementary, middle, and young adult book lists.  I especially liked the bookmarks that are if you liked...then read...

We Need Diverse Books should be an initiative in all school libraries because of the diversity in all schools.   It is essential that students that students see characters, lifestyles, and communities like their own in what they read.  What better way to get all students reading!

Krista C.

Take a look at this article from the Huffington Post for startling statistics about the lack of diverse books:  https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/02/we-need-diverse-books_n_5253934.html

Book Talking Kit:  https://diversebooks.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/We-Need-Diverse-Books-Spring-2015-Booktalking-Kit-1.pdf

We Need Diverse Books. (2018). We Need Diverse Books. Retrieved February 04, 2018, from https://diversebooks.org/

Video Games in the School Library

Video Games in the School Library

During my clinical experience, I will never forget walking into the library and watching students play video games during their study hall period. I was very curious about the educational value of video games. Are there student benefits to gaming in the library? Let’s discuss the pros and cons of using gaming in the school library.  

Pros:

-attracts students to library

-helps with critical thinking skills

-helps with problem solving skills

- encourages healthy risk taking

- encourages 21^st century skills such as collaboration, information and media literacy

-helps motivate students for reading and learning

Cons:

-lack of support

-lack of funding

-lack of incentives

-little support from administration and technology staff                 

-insufficient time to participate in gaming

-librarians struggle with how to align gaming with school standards

What do I need?

-game consoles

-game controllers

-strategy guides

-game 

After reading more and reflecting on video games in the school library. It is obvious that I would include video gaming in the library. When I become a librarian, I would start a video gaming club after school to promote 21^st century skills but also the library. Many of the students who play video games are students who do not read enough. By inviting the students in to play games it can be a wonderful way to introduce reading into students lives.

Questions that I have:

1.       How have you used games in the library? If so what games and what was your experience?

2.       How do you purchase or rent the equipment required for a game?

Michelle Yalavarthi (February 2018)

Other Resources:

Elkins, A. J. (2015). Why School Librarians Should Embrace Gaming in the Library. Knowledge    Quest, 43(5), 59-63.

Hovious, A. S., & Van Eck, R. N. (2015). Digital Games for 21st-Century Learning. Teacher  Librarian, 42(5), 34-38.